56 THE COMPLETE ANGLER 



These rivers making way through nature's chains 



With headlong course into the sea profound ; 

 The raging sea, beneath the valleys low, 

 Where lakes and rills and rivulets do flow. 



The lofty woods, the forests wide and long, 



Adorn'd with leaves and branches fresh and green, 



In whose cool bowers the birds, with many a song, 

 Do welcome with their choir the summer's queen ; 



The meadows fair, where Flora's gifts among 

 Are intermix'd, with verdant grass between ; 



The silver-scaled fish that softly swim 



Within the sweet brook's crystal watery stream. 



All these, and many more of His creation 



That made the heavens, the angler oft doth see ; 



Taking therein no little delectation, 



To think how strange, how wonderful they be I 



Framing thereof an inward contemplation 

 To set his heart from other fancies free ; 



And whilst he looks on these with joyful eye, 



His mind is rapt above the starry sky. 



Sir, I am glad my memory has not lost these last verses, 

 because they are somewhat more pleasant and more suit- 

 able to May-day than my harsh discourse. And I am 

 glad your patience hath held out so long, as to hear them 

 and me ; for both together have brought us within the 

 sight of the Thatched House. And I must be your debtor, 

 if you think it worth your attention, for the rest of my 

 promised discourse, till some other opportunity, and a like 

 time of leisure. 



VEN. Sir, you have angled me on with much pleasure 

 to the Thatched House ; and I now find your words true, 

 " that good company makes the way seem short " ; for 

 trust me, Sir, I thought we had wanted three miles of 

 this house, till you shewed it me. But now we are at it, 

 we'll turn into it, and refresh ourselves with a cup of 

 drink, and a little rest. 



